We recently connected with Antonia Whatley and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Antonia, thanks for joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
Everyone has their own definition of success. Success can come in various forms and is achieved in various ways as well. For me, to be successful you have to have that mindset, motivation, and dedication of “ I really want this”. It is way easier said than done, trust me. Success does not happen overnight or on the first try. In fact, it takes a lot of hard work, trial and error, and patience. Often times we believe we are ready for things that we are not. We don’t realize that until we are thrown in situations we have little to no experience in. There is so much room to learn and grow, especially during that trial and error era. I am a firm believer in, “I get what I put out into the universe and I am in control of my future. I get what I put out. If I am not giving 100% I can’t expect to receive that 100% profit. If I am speaking positivity into the universe and over myself, I will have a positive outcome. If I am speaking negativity into the universe, it will eventually convert to my actions and motivation. I developed this way of thinking back in 2020. This was a very tough year for me mentally and physically. I think everyone could relate that COVID change everything. During that time my mom was also diagnosed with breast cancer. I was living in Nashville at the time when the lockdown began. I was commuting back and forth to Austin Peay to finish up my bachelor’s degree until classes were moved to be strictly online. When I moved home during the lockdown, I helped my mom back and forth to radiation and doctor’s appointments. About 5months later I was involved in a car accident leaving me with a broken hand. Everything was happening so fast and it was a lot to process. Taking my mom back and forth to radiation and myself to physical therapy was a lot, mentally and physically. I could have easily given up and fell into the negative emotions and thoughts I was beginning to feel. Instead, I spoke affirmations over my mom and myself. Trying to keep that positive light even during dark times. For the most part, doing this worked for me and made me feel better about what was happening around me. I know a lot of stuff that I am saying is easier said that done but it took a lot of practicing and training my mind. I admit some days are harder than others but I am human and I am learning and growing.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I became interested in hair at a very young age. At first I didn’t think hair would be a passion of mines. I was more of a tomboy. I was outside playing sports, getting dirty, and always wore my hair in a ponytail. My family and I were involved in a grease fire in 2012 that kind of forced me to do my own hair. The fire caused my mom to obtain third and fourth degree burns on her dominant hand (right hand). From that point on I did my hair, my sister’s, and my mom’s hair. I would mostly practice protective hairstyles such as box braids and senegalese twist. Senegalese twist were very popular during that time, so that was my go to hairstyle. I would practice on some of my peers at school, but I felt more comfortable practicing on myself and family. As I mentioned before, in order to be successful you are gonna go through trial and error. My biggest trial and error era was in high school. There were plenty of times where I got discouraged and thought maybe this isn’t for me. The support I got from my peers was little to none. Those who did “support” me did not stick around to trust the process and believe in me. As I got older, I realized that I needed to not only trust my own process but also believe in myself. I can be my biggest critic and downfall at times. I have to remember not to be so hard on myself because we all make mistakes. I just have to build and learn from those mistakes. The services I provide are mostly protective hairstyles such are braids, wig installs, locs, etc. The problems I want to be able to solve for clients is how to properly take care of the hair. Every product does not work for everyone’s hair texture. I want to be able to educate my clients on what products are good to use and what hair treatments are useful to make the hair grow, stay moisturized, and healthy.
My personal story and motivation is what sets me apart from others. I do feel like I am a walking testimony. I have been through a lot, but I never let that discourage me from chasing my dreams. I know the end goal I want to reach. I have to work hard everyday to achieve that goal. have to hold myself accountable for my actions, good or bad. Most importantly I have to be open to learning new things, no matter how far I make it in my career. There is no such thing as too much knowledge. My versatility will also set me apart from others. I want to be able to provide different service for different people not just one specific audience.
Throughout this whole process I am the most proud of myself. I have came a long way, but I know I have further to go.. The people who know me and stuck beside me during all of my ups and downs I thank you. You all have helped me grow not only as a hairstylist but as a person as well. To my future clients i am only going to get better and every opportunity I get I will never leave you disappointed, Touch of Toni will be BIG.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
The best source of new clients for me has been through social media. Posting on instagram and other social media platforms has helped me get my name and work out there. The challenges with social media for me is being consistent with posting content. I am currently still in school, set to graduate in July. I don’t have much content to share, but that is where my creativity comes into play. Another source of new clients is through word of mouth. I work in the restaurant industry and I meet new people everyday. During this time I try to promote myself and my brand. I make sure I have business cards to give out and always present myself in a professional way.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been patience. As I mentioned previously, I am currently still in school, so I really don’t have much clientele. With patience, learning new techniques and styles just gives me more confidence in my craft. Perfecting things I am good at and strengthening the areas I am weak in. Doing these things will make me a better hairstylist for my future clients.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Touchoftonii_xo
- Other: TikTok: @touchoftonii